After 30 years, the Marines are returning to the Colt .45 pistol

[shadowrider]

HARTFORD, Conn. — The newest Colt .45-caliber pistol is touted for its durability and design.

It is tested to make sure it can be dropped in water, covered in mud, immersed in sand or ice, or left in a dust storm — and still be able to blast off a round when you pull the trigger.

"Virtually, it's indestructible," said Casimir Pawlowski, who works in international sales and technical sevices for Colt Defense LLC. "You can drive over these things with a Humvee and they're still gonna work. It's like a brick that shoots bullets."

An order last month of new M45 Close Quarter Battle Pistols for the Marines is the first purchase of any Colt handgun in almost three decades by any branch of the U.S. military, though .45-caliber Colts were a trusty sidearm of the Army and Marines for most of the 20th century.

http://www.stripes.com/news/after-30-years-the-marines-are-returning-to-the-colt-45-pistol-1.186159

[Lint Head]

1. It's a great gun and always reliable.

Now I'm returning to my Colt 45 Malt Liquor.

[upaloopa]

2. I carried a colt 45 auto in Vietnam 1967-68

[rDigital]

6. You're showing your age ; )

Thank you for your service.

[tularetom]

3. One of my most prized possessions

is a 1911 that my dad obtained just after WWII because he was so happy with the one he carried while serving with the 1st Marine Division in the pacific.

I don't use it much anymore but back when I owned a bar it was under the bar all the time. It's just a fantastic piece of machinery.

[PD Turk]

4. Hard to beat the 1911

Over 100 years old and still going strong

[GP6971]

5. About fricking time

The M9 sucks.

I still carried the M1911 A1 when I retired in 92.. My son carries the M9 and hates it. Hope the Army follows suit

[rDigital]

7. Thank you for your service : ) nt

[GP6971]

8. Thank you very much

I always considered it obligation, not a choice. I was consideed a "Nazi ROTC" cadet in the late 60s and early 70s. Wasn't very popular in those days

[spin]

9. If I felt I was going into harm's way, I would carry a 1911 style Colt .45 auto. ...

However since I have no real fear but realize that there still is a very faint possibility that I might be attacked by someone who intends to seriously injure or kill me, I chose to legally carry a .38 caliber 5 shot snub nosed revolver. Many call it a mouse gun but it is reliable and reasonable effective in stopping an attack.

Realistically if I felt going somewhere would put me in extreme danger, I would simply avoid going there. The best way to survive a fight is to avoid being in one.

A full sized 1911 style .45 auto is heavy and hard to carry and conceal. Today smaller more compact versions are manufactured but they are expensive and still harder to carry than my very light and compact revolver. I tend to leave such weapons behind in my gun safe as I don't anticipate that I will ever have to use one for legitimate self defense.

To a large extent that is why lighter firearms in smaller calibers are largely popular with those who legally carry concealed.

[ileus]

10. I looked at several today at the funshow.

My boss has an all original 1911 from WWI. It was his uncles (he's 61) it is in 90% condition such a beauty never being "refurbed " the magazine's even look like the originals. I think the SN indicated 1915 (maybe 1918) I can't remember.

I want one for HD maybe I'll have to spring for one with a rail.

[rl6214]

11. It's about time

I've always wanted a 1911, I've got a Springfield XD45 which is nice but the next gun I buy will definately be a 1911

[krispos42]

12. They should have contracted with S&W for a M&P pistol in .45 GAP instead.

Same bullet with the same ballistics, but you would get a double-stack magazine, revolver-like simplicity of operation, and the much shorter .45 GAP would let the pistol grip be much smaller than a double-stack .45 ACP for those of us that have smaller hands.


Hell, if you're going to go off the NATO reservation and dump the 9mm, then you could also go to the .40 S&W and off-the-shelf pistols. I'd love to see an American-made XDm become service-issue.

[littlewolf]

13. I love my Glock 21 .45

also have a Randal .45 1911 style ...
the glock gives me 10 rounds vice 7 ...
and it is easier to take down and clean

[GreenStormCloud]

14. I qualified expert with the 1911 back in 1976.

The picture looks like an aupdate of the 1911. Same works, minor improvements to sights, and addition of p-rails.

[Equate]

15. I carried the M1911 in Vietnam

it was virtually indestructible. Glad to see the Marines going back to the Colt, hope the rest of the services follow suit.

[gejohnston]

16. AFAIK, the Air Force never used it

I only saw Smith and Wesson model 14s .38s. Come to think of it, I have seen a few army MPs with those too.

[Equate]

19. I believe, and I could be wrong as I don't know that much about the AF,

but I believe that the Air Police and the pilots used .38 spl., the pilots as part of their survival kits in case they were shot down.

[gejohnston]

20. they did.

they switched to the 9mm when I was in Japan, including the pilots. The units I'm not sure about were TACPs (which are stationed with Army units), Para-rescue, and airborne weather.

[aikoaiko]

17. I'm surprise they didn't choose a double stack like a Glock, S&W M&P, or XDM

Certainly, the 1911 design is venerable. I'd like to see the specks on this firearm.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

22. Double stack results in a wider grip

not easy to handle if you have small hands. Especially double-stacked .45ACP.

The standard 1911 grip is more comfortable for me.

[Clames]

30. Not always.

Comparing my fullsize USP .45 to my Mil-Spec Springfield the width of the grips are almost identical if not the USP being a fraction thinner. The grip on the USP is a little thicker front to back but I can't tell if that is true or just feels that way because the backstrap doesn't cut in as much at the web of the thumb and index finger as it does on the 1911.

[bad sofa king]

26. There's no way I would choose to carry a 1911 over a Glock.

I have a Colt Combat Commander in .45 acp and a Glock 21C, also in .45 acp.

Without question, the Glock is superior to the 1911. It is a combat masterpiece. It carries nearly twice as much ammo, it is infinitely more reliable and durable, and it is far more accurate. It is easier to disassemble and reassemble and breaks down into fewer pieces- fewer pieces to break, lose, wear out, fail, etc. Recoil is much less severe as well. It's barely noticeable; whereas, the combat commander is just a fire spitting beast. The Colt is safer for obvious reasons which matters and it's much much prettier than a Glock which doesn't. That being said, you can give a Glock a manual external safety. the colt is a 100 year old design. It's a great design but the Glock is superior.

[oneshooter]

28. Please Sir, you have an obvious intense dislike of your Colt Commander

That being so I will offer my services to you.

Please send your disliked and verbally abused Commander to me. It will have a quiet resting place in a safe with others of it's kind. Be treated to custom handloads the suit it best, be spoke of in kind words and be allowed to show it's abilities to it's hearts content.

In the words of The King"Don't be cruel"

I await your decision Sir.

Oneshooter
Armed and Livin in Texas

[bad sofa king]

29. lol. It is very sentimental to me

It's a series 70 with satin nickel finish and no signs of wear. I have kept it because it is just beautiful and because it was the first firearm I ever purchased and because it's never going to do anything but become worth more money (and because if I got rid of it, I wouldn't have it anymore). I used to eyeball it in the case at the local gun store when I was a teenager and would make the old man pull it out so I could fondle it. I asked him about when I turned 21 and he said he still had it up in his safe. I think he set it aside for me. I bought it that day back in 1992 for $550. Here is the same pistol listed for 1,200 at gun broker. Yeah, I love that gun. I don't see myself ever getting rid of it.

[oneshooter]

32. So sad. It seems that my Loving Wifes 1954 LW Commander must be alone still.

[bad sofa king]

33. well played sir.

I'd still carry a Glock 21 before a 1911. I'd actually carry a revolver before anything though. and I do.

[oneshooter]

34. Glocks are ok, they just don't feel right in my hand.

I normally carry a SIG220, but have been known to carry a Colt SAA or a 4" 1860 Colt percussion revolver.

Oneshooter
Armed and Livin in Texas

[slackmaster]

18. All Hail

[Clames]

21. Going to catch flack for this but...

...not a great choice IMO. I own a 1911 but I would not carry it into combat in this day and age. I would rather carry my fullsize USP. Just as accurate, about the same size and weight, easier to field strip and clean, and can hold 12+1 instead of 7+1.

[Remmah2]

24. You can also get 8+1 mags that fit flush. nt

nt

[Clames]

25. Still doesn't match up to 12+1.

I think the USP is a better combat pistol overall and even borrows cues from the 1911 and J.M.B.

[bad sofa king]

27. No flak here. I agree completely.

it's a great gun but there are better.

[era veteran]

23. As a tanker I carried one for 4 years, Qualified expert, most reliable semi auto ever made.

Wonder why they contracted for 22,000? I bet there are several million in mothballs.
My Facebook Brotherhood of Tankers Group leans heavily to resume using them too.
Mr Browning was a genius, Ma Deuce still the most coveted heavy machine gun by the worlds armies.

[4th law of robotics]

31. A gun doesn't remain in continuous use for over a century

with few modifications if it wasn't well built in the first place.

[rDigital]

35. The 1911 is a classic, but also ready for modern duty. Many prefer

a manual safety on their sidearm. To be honest though, I prefer Glock and Sig actions.